Shepard Origins: The Loose Cannon
by Jane-Alenko
Summary: Covers pre-ME, during, & post-game. Anya Shepard was born on Earth, living on the streets and fighting for her right to live. Leaving the Tenth Street Reds for a chance at a better life, she becomes the Skyllian Blitz hero. Never one to completely play by the rules, she's stationed on the Normandy, something that will change her life forever.
1. Warning

This fan fic will have **excessive violence, rape themes, abuse themes, sex, cursing, self-harm & other such things**. Read on at your own discretion.


	2. Chapter 1 - Unwanted

**Earth - 2164**

* * *

It was the same as it always had been and today would be no different. A family would be coming to adopt me, but like the many times before I know it'll be short lived. Either the family wouldn't want a misfit like me, or they would be busted for doing something illegal. It always ended up that way. _Always._

Families came in and they always saw what they wanted to see. An angelic little girl with a quiet disposition. What they didn't see is that I was damaged, caged inside my own walls, and worst of all, I was a biotic. Potential families _hated_ biotic children. We were dangerous, unknowns, and unpredictable.

I'm sure out of the many families that came to look at me, one of them might have genuinely wanted me, but I was too stuck in my ways. I was tired of being passed around from house to house only to be returned to where I started. So I gave up trying to find a family, I gave the worst first impressions, and I suffered the punishment from my foster father. He'd beat me every time I scared off a family. Tonight would be the usual, he'd scream curses at me then use his fists to try to make me understand.

I hear him coming up the stairs but his steps pass my door and continue down the hall. I stand up from my corner and peek around the door into the hall. He bangs on Mila's door drunkenly, our doors are never supposed to be shut or locked, struggling to open it. The other kids are watching timidly from their doors like I am.

He finally shoves the door open and storms inside, his voice loud and clear as he shouts at Mila. I hear her hit the floor, her whimpers loud enough for all of us to hear through the paper thin walls. Her door shuts and the room goes quiet, the others withdrawing back into their rooms. I sulk back to my corner and go to sit down when I'm startled by her screams. Mila has never screamed, no one has, something isn't right.

Before I know what I'm doing, I race into the hall and down to her room, throwing open the door. Through the dark I can see Mila under him on the bed, his pants down.

"Get off her _now_!" I shout, my hands balling into fists.  
"Fuck off bitch, you'll get yours eventually." He slurs, turning back to Mila.

The anger builds up inside of me and I let it go. It explodes around me into a wave of energy that sends him flying into the wall, hitting the back of his head on the corner of the dresser. He collapses onto the ground as blood seeps from his head. Blood pours down my nose and spots dance in my vision as I get dizzy.

I flee from my room, barreling through the hall as the other children tentatively step out from behind their doors. I run down the stairs and tumble out the front door down into the street collapsing into a puddle. It's raining heavily, lightning pulsing across the sky and the water washes away the blood on my face. I run, stumbling over my feet and grasping at ally walls for balance as I escape my past. I don't know what I'm running to, but I don't stop.


	3. Chapter 2 - Unbreakable

**Earth - 2166**

* * *

Life on the streets was tough, but so was I. The dark and gritty underbelly of Earth's cities all had their share of dangers, teeth that would tear apart the weak, unprepared, and naive. All those years of suppressed anger and all the beatings I took fueled my resolve to survive, if not live.

My fists became my tools, my wits my weapon. I had a natural talent for fighting and when desperation hit I could even manage some biotics. I was no longer the little girl that used to cower in her corner afraid, she had disappeared. The streets were my home now, it led or pushed me where it wished.

I thrived in this environment, the challenges, dangers and thrills all pushing my limits. It was my personal playground. The people that lived down here always underestimated me; they either thought I was easy prey or they thought I was no threat at all. I used this to my advantage, blending in and feigning innocence, I stole from them what I needed. I was the perfect little thief, small, quiet, quick, and undetectable. I slipped in and out of tight spaces like vents with ease.

When I ran into trouble I couldn't handle, I didn't flee as much as it might have looked that way to them. I led them on a merry little chase, using my environment against them, outsmarting and outmaneuvering them. With this I started gaining a reputation, and the attention of the underground gangs.

The Sirens, an all female gang with some of the strongest biotics around. The Black Jacks, an old gang still kicking from pre-space flight times, the best street fighters still to this day, as well as the owners of the local fight clubs. The Iron Horsemen, biggest underground army of mechs and the most talented hackers. And the Tenth Street Reds, the gang with the highest body count and bloodiest history.

They all had developed an interest in me, as a biotic and a unpredictable fighter rank with potential, I was a wanted addition.


	4. Chapter 3 - Captured

**Earth - 2166**

* * *

With the attention of the gangs on me, it was difficult to hide, _difficult,_ but not impossible. All four of them wanted to catch me and "persuade" me into joining their merry band of misfits, but I wasn't having any of it. I didn't need them; I had done well enough for myself on my own. Joining with them meant killing and fighting unessesarily to find a decent place in their gang hierarchy.

But one day I screwed up.

I was running from the Reds during a thunderstorm one night, the rain falling down blindingly heavy, and the wind throwing aside everything in its path. The thunder was so loud I could feel the rumble in my chest as I ran from them.

Over rooftops I jumped, scurrying up side walls and leaping onto window sills. I went to make a jump as lightning lit up the sky, blinded by the light I jumped too early. I flew over the gap, my chest slamming into the ledge as my fingers grasped at the slick edges of the wall searching for purchase. I fell. Awnings and clothes lines breaking my fall as I tumbled down to the ground. I landed in a dumpster, the air knocked out of my lungs as I blacked out.

When I woke I wasn't anywhere I recognized, the faces staring back at me were marked with red tattoos and scars. I was strapped to a chair in the middle of a warehouse, the light above me excruciatingly bright. They had caught me. Bloodied and battered I was in no condition to escape them.

"Congratulations, you've been chosen to be a member of the Tenth Street Reds. Lucky you," The figure in front of me says, patting me on the back.

I hold back a wince, the pain shooting through my body as I clench my teeth.

"I'm Riley, your leader. This is Hunter, my XO," Riley says, motioning to the man next to him. "Now are you going to be smart and listen to what we say, or are you going to be difficult?" He says, grabbing my jaw and forcing my face upward to look at him.  
"Yes, sir," I say, looking him straight in the eyes. I'm no fool, I'll play along and when my chance comes I'll be gone before they know it.  
"Good," He says before walking off with the others until only Hunter remains.

I glance up at him and we stare at each other for a while, sizing the other up. He moves toward me, untying my bonds and pulls me up.

"Let's go, your initiation begins now." Hunter says, walking ahead of me.


	5. Chapter 4 - Initiation

**Earth - 2166**

* * *

The week passed by painfully slow as I did task after task that they asked of me. They ranged from near impossible thefts, high risk raids, and killing targets. In between the missions I had to fight with other members in the practice ring and they didn't hold anything back. Despite any injuries I may have received I was expected to complete the mission.

I struggled to hold my tongue and play along with it, I wasn't a thug and I wasn't a murderer. But deep down my mind whispers _murder_ over and over. I killed my foster father, so it isn't surprising that I've ended up here.

I try to avoid Riley whenever I can, but it's hard to do when you're the new recruit and he insists on having the run down of the mission personally. He makes my skin crawl and reminds me too much of my foster father.

_Murderer._

I grit my teeth and slam my fist into the nearest wall. I'm supposed to be getting ready to go on another raid but the deeper I fall into this mess the louder the whispers get until I can barely stand it. I slide down the wall and shove my fingers into my hair.

Footsteps approach and stop in front of me, I know Hunter's boots anywhere. He's been following me around all the time as I'm his responsibility. His fingers pull mine out from my hair and he tugs me up.

"You good?" Hunter asks.  
"Fine. I just have a headache." I answer, which isn't far from the truth.  
"Come on then, you have one last test before you're officially a member." Hunter says, pulling me along.

He leads me upstairs and out onto the roof where the major members of the gang are waiting. What I see behind them makes my heart drop. A number of the kids from my foster house are there and are balanced precariously on the edge of frail makeshift platforms. The wind is strong up here and at any moment they could fall or the platforms could break. Mila is on her knees in front of Riley, her hands tied and tears streaming down her face.

"Your last test is to kill her." Riley says. "Or the rest of them fall to their deaths."

I look at Mila's face then to the others and I know there's no way I can get out of this.

"Can I at least have a gun?" I ask, trying to keep my voice steady and my face empty.  
"No, do it with your hands." Riley says, an amused look on his face.

I step up in front of Mila and place my hands around her face, locking eyes with hers as I snap her neck clean and quickly. Her pupils dilate before rolling back and closing.

"Very nice." Riley says, clapping his hands. "Now all that remains is disposing of them."

He waves his hand dismissively at the others and I watch in horror as the they're kicked off and fall to the pavement below. Hands wrap around my arms as I fall forward and pull me downstairs.

"Don't cry child, you have a new family now." Someone says in my ear.

They sit me down as they brand my wrist with the gang insignia and I barely cry out in pain as it burns into my flesh. I curse myself a thousand times over, I should've known they wouldn't have let them go. I killed Mila for nothing, _I killed them_.


	6. Chapter 5 - Reflections

**Earth - 2168**

* * *

I watch my breath fan out in front of me in a fog as I lay back on the roof of the building and cherish what little free time I have. The sky is clear and bright tonight as I look up to the stars. My fingers rub absently at the gang branding on my wrist, tracing the lines and bumps. The events of that day flash before my eyes and press on my heart. I stare at the stars and wish I could travel to someplace out there, away from this place, away from Earth.

The door to the stairs creaks open and Hunter's footsteps stop next to me before he sits beside me. He takes my hand in his and plays with my fingers.

"What are you thinking about?" Hunter asks, staring into my eyes.

Over the past two years we've gotten closer as we're the youngest around but deep down he's just like his father, a soulless killer. None of them are privy to my thoughts and I make sure to keep them secret.

"Just space," I answer, which isn't far from the truth.  
"Well come on then, you'll have plenty of time later to think about that. There's a new recruit," Hunter says, pulling me up and to the stairs.

I manage one last glance over my shoulder and see a shooting star streak across the sky before I'm led down the stairs.

The new recruit is a girl around my age and biotic, I can feel her fearful energy radiating from her before I even see her. She sits where I once sat, but beyond that there are no similarities. She quivers in her chair, emotions washing over her face and her eyes darting around.

It's the same drill as mine was; they give the speech and loosen her bonds and Hunter charming as ever whisks her away for her tasks. By the following week it's time for her blood trail. The gang gets its name from this test and their long history of violence; you enter and leave the same way, by blood. It's the same for everyone, they find what remaining family or connections you have and you have to kill them. With no one else left for you to go to, you have no choice but to join them. Some choice it is when it's all but taken from you to begin with.

But the girl surprises us all, she refuses to kill.

After a stunned moment of silence, the older members move into action and kill the people in front of her. Hunter moves behind the girl and suffocates her.

That day years ago comes back full force and I'm hit with the realization that could have been me. The thought doesn't comfort me, but instead angers me. This is no merry band of killers, not a family in the slightest. We're all expendable, to be used for our purpose and if we cease to be of use, discarded. How many others like me have there been? How many have they kidnapped and killed because they refused? Too many.

But never again.


End file.
